Heat exchange device

ABSTRACT

A heat exchange device comprising a heat conducting elongated first member such as a plurality of tubes, a plurality of spaced heat conducting primarily two dimensional second members which may be flat fins having openings through which these members extend, a spacer flange at each opening integral with each second member positioned against a first member for joining the fin and thus the second member to the first member, the spacer flange having an edge bearing against another second member to maintain the spaced relationship therebetween and means forming a recessed section in the flange edge adjacent this other second member to provide space for a joining composition such as a solder and for the escape of reaction products of the joining operation whether these products are gases, liquids or solids.

United States Patent 1191 Slaasted Nov. 13, 1973 HEAT EXCHANGE DEVICE[75] Inventor: Raymond S. Slaasted, Racine, Wis.

[73] Assignee: Modine Manufacturing Company,

Racine, Wis.

[22] Filed: Sept. 22, 1971 [21] Appl. No.: 182,722

[52] US. Cl. 165/151 [51] Int. Cl. F28d 9/18 [58] Field of Searchl65/l8l.2, 151;

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,454,357 11/1948 Tolan165/182 1,937,343 11/1933 Higgins 165/151 x FOREIGN PATENTS ORAPPLICATIONS 760,963 6/1953 Germany 165/182 Primary Examiner'Charles J.Myhre Assistant Examiner-Theophil W. Streule, Jr.

AttorneyHofgren, Wegner, Allen, Stellman & McCord [57] ABSTRACT A heatexchange device comprising a heat conducting elongated first member suchas a plurality of tubes, a plurality of spaced heat conducting primarilytwo dimensional second members which may be flat fins having openingsthrough which these members extend, a spacer flange at each openingintegral with each second member positioned against a first member forjoining the fin and thus the second member to the first member, thespacer flange having an edge bearing against another second member tomaintain the spaced relationship therebetween and means forming arecessed section in the flange edge adjacent this other second member toprovide space for a joining composition such as a solder and for theescape of reaction products of the joining operation whether theseproducts are gases, liquids or solids.

4 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures HEAT EXCHANGE DEVICE BRIEF DESCRIPTION OFTHE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of a portion of afin and tube heat exchanger embodying the invention.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken substantially along line 2-2 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary side elevational view of a heat exchange tubeshowing a plurality of the adjacent fins in partial section.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view illustrating the relationship of a tube anda fin.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT In the illustrated embodimentthe heat exchange device is of the tube 11 and tin 12 construction. Asis customary there are a plurality of the tubes 1 1 of which only twoare shown in FIG. 2 arranged in parallel spaced relationship. There arealso provided a plurality of spaced fins arranged parallel to each otherand transverse to the tubes 11. Each fin 12 has a spacer flange 13struck therefrom and surrounding the opening 14 through which the tube11 extends. Each flange has an edge 15 bearing against the next fin 12as shown in FIG. 3 to maintain the desired spaced relationship betweenthe fins. Each flange is also positioned against a tube for providingefficient heat transfer between the tubes and the fins. Each of thespacer flanges 13 is formed with a recessed edge 15. Each flange edge 15is formed with a recessed section 16 adjacent the next flange 12 inorder to provide space for a joining composition such as a solder asillustrated at 17 in FIG. 3. These recessed sections or spacers not onlyfacilitate metallurgical joining of the heat exchange device componentsbut also provide an area through which the by-products of the joiningreaction may escape whether these byproducts are liquid, solids orgases.

In one embodiment as illustrated each first heat transfer member or tube1 1 is oval in cross section and each flange 13 is similarly oval. Eachflange edge 15 is provided with a plurality of recessed sections 16,here shown as two, with the two sections being located on opposite sidesof the flange. Thus with this arrangement each flange 13 provides a pairof opposite end edge sections 18 to provide the proper spacing of theadjacent fins from each other and a pair of elongated opposite recesses16 for providing a firm joint. 7

The joining materials that may be used are any of those customarilyemployed in fin and tube heat exchangers.

Having described my invention as related to the embodiment shown in theaccompanying drawings, it is my intention that the invention be notlimited by any of the details of description, unless otherwisespecified, but rather be construed broadly within its spirit and scopeas set out in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A heat exchange device, comprising: a heat conducting elongated firstmember having an elongated transverse cross section; and a plurality ofthin, spaced, heat conducting, primarily two dimensional second memberseach having an opening through which said first member extends, saidopenings being complementary in cross section to said first member, eachsaid second member further defining an integral spacer flange extendingabout each said opening projecting transversely thereto and positionedfacially against said first member, said spacer flange having a distaledge substantially bearing against another said second member tomaintain the spaced relationship between said second members, each saidflange defining a long portion extending in the direction of elongationof said elongated cross section of the first member provided with v arecess in the distal edge portion thereofv opening toward said othersecond member for occupancy by a joining composition for said first andsecond members.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein there are provided a plurality of saidelongated first members in the form of tubes so that the deviceconstitutes a fin and tube heat exchanger.

3. The device of claim 1 wherein each said spacer flange surrounds asaid first member in contact therewith, and each said flange defines asecond such long portion opposite said first said long portion andprovided with a second such recess.

4. The device of claim 3 wherein each said first memher is oval in crosssection, each said flange is oval in cross section parallel to thesecond member from which it projects, and a pair of said recesses areprovided in each flange one each in the long sides of the ovaL

1. A heat exchange device, comprising: a heat conducting elongated first member having an elongated transverse cross section; and a plurality of thin, spaced, heat conducting, primarily two dimensional second members each having an opening through which said first member extends, said openings being complementary in cross section to said first member, each said second member further defining an integral spacer flange extending about each said opening projecting transversely thereto and positioned facially against said first member, said spacer flange having a distal edge substantially bearing against another said second member to maintain the spaced relationship between said second members, each said flange defining a long portion extending in the direction of elongation of said elongated cross section of the first member provided with a recess in the distal edge portion thereof opening toward said other second member for occupancy by a joining composition for said first and second members.
 2. The device of claim 1 wherein there are provided a plurality of said elongated first members in the form of tubes so that the device constitutes a fin and tube heat exchanger.
 3. The device of claim 1 wherein each said spacer flange surrounds a said first member in contact therewith, and each said flange defines a second such long portion opposite said first said long portion and provided with a second such recess.
 4. The device of claim 3 wherein each said first member is oval in cross section, each said flange is oval in cross section parallel to the second member from which it projects, and a pair of said recesses are provided in each flange one each in the long sides of the oval. 